Grapple device for material handling apparatus



March 12, 1963 L. EAREDMAN 3,080,988

GRAPPLE DEVICE FOR MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE NTOR Lawrence E Redman by i A TTORNEYS L. E. REDMANGRAPPLE DEVICE FOR MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 2 "IVE/ Tm Lawrence E Redmqn- I 8M! i W ATTORAEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,080,988 GRAPPLE DEVICE FOR MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUSLawrence E. Redman, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to Garbage iervice Company,Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., a corporation of rizona Filed May 9, 1960, Ser.No. 27,936 7 Claims. (Cl. 214-656) The present invention relates broadlyto a material handling aparatus and more specifically to a grapple orcrane hook that is mounted on the end of a movable boom.

In prior devices the grapples have been connected to and supported fromthe free end of a movable boom by cables so that, the grapple is adaptedto have a free swinging movement with respect to the boom. The grappleor crane hook of this type is extremely diflicult to control and operateparticularly as regards the positioning of the grapple in order toengage the material or article with the tongs or buckets of the grapple.Thus a grapple that is supported by a cable is not capable of operatingin a manner that is as efficient and accurate as a grapple that ismounted upon and carried by the free end of the movable boom.

While attempts have been made to provide grapples of the aforementionedtype with guide or check lines in an endeavor to more accuratelyposition the tongs or buckets with respect to the materials or articlesto be engaged, such efforts have not been overly successful. In someinstances it has been found that the use of guide or check lines haverestricted the manueverability of the grapple, thereby rendering itineffective for certain types of operations.

One of the objects of the present invntion is to provide a grappledevice that is connected to and carried by the free end of a movableboom, whereby an operator can accurately control the positioning of thegrapple for picking up various'materials or articles.

Another object is to provide a grapple device that is connected to aboom in such a manner as to be capable of rotative movement with respectthereto for more accurate positioning of the grapple with relation tothe material or articles to be moved.

Another object is to provide a grapple device that is connected to andcarried by the free end of a movable boom wherein the opening andclosing of the grapple jaws or tongs is controlled by an operator at aremote station.

A further object is to provide a movable boom having a grapple deviceoperatively connected to the free end thereof for rotative movementabout a vertical axis under the control of an operator at a remotestation.

A still further object is to provide a movable boom having a grappledevice operatively connected to the free end thereof with the grapplejaws or tongs pivotally connected to a frame member that is maintainedin a horizontal plane at all times for accurately positioning thegrapple with respect to the material or article to be engaged by thejaws or tongs.

Still further objects are to provide a grapple device which is readilyadaptable for mounting on a free end of a boom, which is economical ofmanufacture and is efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages, more or less ancillary to the foregoing inthe manner in which all of the various objects are realized will appearin the following description, which, when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

3,080,938 Patented Mar. 12, 1963 ice FIG. 1 is a perspective view of amaterial and article carrying vehicle employing a pivoted extensibleboom with a grapple device of the present invention mounted on the freeend thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the grapple device showing thegrapple jaws in open and closed position and a fluid system foroperating the grapple device;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the grapple device shown in FIGURE 2 with thefluid system removed;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the operating piston and cylinderwith a portion of the piston rod guide member;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of guide member for the lower end of the pistonrod and the link members or arms that are connected to the clam bucket;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of a modified grapple device showing theuse of tongs or fork members in lieu of the jaw or bucket members.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a vehicle comprisinga tractor 10 having a trailer 11 con nected thereto by a conventionalfifth wheel mounting. The type of trailer illustrated is primarily usedfor collecting trash or refuse which material can be deposited into thevehicle through a top opening or loading hopper 12. A suitable ramdevice, not shown, is customarily em- 1 ployed for compressing towardone end of the vehicle the refuse material as it is deposited therein.The vehicle or trailer 11 does not in and of itself constitute any partof the present invention but is simply illustrated to show a specificuse to which the present device of the present invention is readilyadaptable. The trailer 11'is provided at its forward end with anoperators platform 15 mounted on suitable supports 16 and provided witha guard rail 17. The front end portion of the trailer 11 beneath theoperators platform 15 has mounted thereon a suitable power source 18such as an internal combustion engine and a compressor or pump forenergizing pressure fluid circuits and power devices that operate a boomand a grapple device that is adapted to be mounted thereon. The powersource 18 or pump unit is connected by conduits 19 to a hydrauliccontrol unit 20 of any well known type, which is supported in anysuitable manner with respect .to the platform 15 for actuation by anoperator positioned thereon.

The trailer 11 also has mounted on the forward end thereof, adjacent theplatform 15, a vertically extending hydraulically actuated cylinder 22and piston 23 of a conventional type. The free end of the piston 23 haspivotally mounted thereon the inner or lower end 24 of a boom 25 whichis composed of an inner part 26 and an outer segment 27. The outermostend portion of the inner boom 26 terminates in an angularly disposedsegment 28 which is pivotally connected to a complementary segment 29formed on the inner or lowermost end por tion of the outer boom segment27. A suitable cylinder and piston 30 are connected to and carried bythe inner and outer boom parts 26 and 27, respectively, so that theouter boom segment 27 may be moved about its pivotal connection anddrawn toward the inner boom part 26, so as to reduce the overall lengthof the boom 25. The cylinder 22 and piston 23 are connected by suitableconduits to the hydraulic control unit 20 as are the cylinder and piston30, so that upon the actuation of certain of the handles 31 of thecontrol unit 20 the boom 25 may be elevated or lowered by means of the vcylinder 22 and piston 23 or the boom may through the tion of the boomsegment 27 has connected thereto and depending therefrom a grappledevice 33. The grapple device comprises a rectangularly shaped frame 34having a depending flange portion 35 to which is pivotally connected onopposite sides thereof, a clam bucket consisting of two jaw members 36.The frame 34 has a plate member 38 supported thereabove in spacedparallel relation by means of a plurality of braces 33 which have oneend secured to the frame 34 and the other end to the lower or bottomface of the plate member. The plate member 38, FIGURE 4, is formed witha central aperture through which extends, in a plane normal thereto, acylinder 40. The cylinder 40 has secured to its outer surface a pair ofannular disc members 41 that are positioned adjacent to the top andbottom surfaces of the plate member 38. The disc members 41 act asretainers and guide means for the plate member 38 which is not securedto the cylinder 40 and thus is capable of rotative movement between saiddisc members about the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 40. Thecylinder 40 has secured thereto, in any suitable manner, a gear 42 whichis positioned on the outer surface of the cylinder superjacent thetopmost disc member 41. The upper end portion of the cylinder 40 hasmounted thereon, an upwardly extending bracket member or housing 43 towhich the free end of the segment 27 of the boom 25 is detachablyconnected by a pin or rod 44 that projects through suitable openingsprovided in the end of the boom and the bracket member. Thus the grappledevice 33 is detachably connected to the outer end of the boom 25 and iscapable of being raised or lowered through the boom action.

The cylinder 40 has slidably mounted therein a piston 46 which is alsocapable of rotative movement within the cylinder independently of thecylinder. The piston has secured thereto a depending rod or arm 47 thathas secured to the lower end portion thereof, below the bottom of thecylinder 40, one end of a pair of links or arms 48. The links 48 arepivotally connected to the piston rod 47 by a pin 49 while the other endof the links are pivotally connected by a pin 50 to a boss or bracket 51that is provided on the inner surface and adjacent the topmost portionof the jaw members 36, FIGS. 2 and 6. The upper and lower ends of thecylinder 40, FIGURE 2, are provided with suitable fittings 52 to whichare connected conduits 53 and 54, respectively, which conduits are inturn connected to the control unit 20 for delivering fluid to oppositesides of the piston 46 within the cylinder 40.

The frame 34 has secured to opposite sides thereof a pair of inwardlyextending brace members 56, FIGURE 3, which at their inner ends areconnected to the bottom or base of a rectangularly shaped verticallyextending guide member 57. The upper end of the guide member 57terminates adjacent the bottom of the cylinder 40 and additional braces58, FIGURE 1, are connected between the upper end of the guide memberand the inner faces of the braces 39. The vertical or longitudinal axisof the guide member 57 coincides with the vertical or longitudinal axisof the cylinder 40 so that the piston rod 47 is adapted to be guided andbraced during the reciprocatory movement of the piston 46 within thecylinder 40. The guide member 57 is provided On opposed sides thereofwith longitudinal slots 59 through which extend the ends of the links 48that are pivotally connected to the piston rod 47. Thus the guide member57 not only guides the piston rod but also the links during thereciprocatory movement of the piston as the jaw members 36 of the bucketare being opened or closed so that if one jaw member should happen toopen or close before the other jaw member the guide member 57 willprevent the piston rod and links from bending or twisting.

The frame 34 has secured to one side thereof a base portion 61 of avertically extending bracket 62 which terminates in a supporting member63 that extends inwardly towards the cylinder 40 in a plane normal tothe plane of the bracket 62, FIG. 2. The support member 63 has affixedthereto a plurality of braces 64 upon which is mounted a gear reductionunit 65 that in turn supports a hydraulic motor 66 which is in fluidcommunication with the control unit 20 by means of conduits 67. Thebracket 62 has secured adjacent its side edges one end of a pair of tierods 68 the other ends of which are secured to the peripheral edge ofthe plate member 38 for maintaining the bracket 62 in spaced relation tocylinder 40. The gear reduction unit 65 has a drive shaft '70 projectingdownwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation to the bracket 62. Thebracket 62 ha mounted thereon subjacent the support 63 and in spacedrelation to one another, a pair of arms 71 which are provided withsuitable bearing members 72 for rotatably supporting a drive shaft 73.The drive shaft 73 is operatively connected to the gear reduction unitdrive shaft by a universal connection 74.

The drive shaft 73 has secured thereto, intermediate the arms 71, a gearthat is engaged by a sprocket chain 76 which is entrained about the gear42 that is secured to the cylinder 4%). Thus upon operation of thehydraulic motor 66 by fluid flowing through the conduits 67 from thepower source 18, the shaft 73 will be rotated by drive shaft 70 throughthe connection 74 and thus rotate gear 75 within the sprocket chain 76so as to move or rotate bracket 62, plate 38, and frame 34 about thevertical axis of cylinder 46. In other words the cylinder 46 and gear 42remain stationary while gear 75 by means of sprocket chain 76 walks ormoves about the vertical axis of the cylinder 48 and thus carries thebracket 62 and all appurtenances, as well as frame 34 and clam bucket 33about the vertical axis of said cylinder.

In the operation of the grapple device of the instant invention, theboom 25 can be elevated or lowered by means of the piston 23reciprocating within the cylinder 22 upon the actuation of certain ofthe control handles 31 on the hydraulic control unit 20. The boom 25 mayalso be rotated about the vertical axis of the piston 23 and cylinder 22through suitable hydraulic connections to the control unit 20, so thatsaid boom can be controlled to project outwardly from either side of thetrailer 11. The control unit 20 can cause the segment 27, of the boom25, to be either extended or retracted about its pivotal connection2829, with respect to the boom part 26, so that the boom 25 is capableof being moved through a multiplicity of directions while either in anextended or retracted position. Assuming that a pile of trash or debrisis to be picked up from the ground and deposited in the trailer 11through the hopper or opening 12, the boom 25 is extended and lowered tothe position shown in FIG. 1 by an operator actuating the varioushandles 31 on the control unit 20. As the boom 25 is being moved towardsthe debris on the ground the operator moves certain of the handles 31 onthe control unit 20 to cause fluid to flow through conduit '53 to thetop of cylinder 40 where it will engage piston 46 forcing samedownwardly in the cylinder 40 which movement will cause any fluid in thecylinder beneath the piston 46 to flow through conduit 54, control unit20 and finally to the source of supply. As the piston 46 is forceddownwardly within the cylinder 40 the lower portion of the piston arm orrod 47 will move the upper ends of the links 48 downwardly by means ofthe pin 49, thus causing the jaw members 36 of the clam bucket to openby moving about their hinge connections with the flange 35 of the frame34.

The operator after opening the jaws 36 of the bucket and while stilllowering the boom 25 can rotate the frame 34 and bucket structure toproperly position the jaw members 36 for engaging and collecting thepile of debris or trash. The frame 34 is readily rotated by the operatoractuating various handles 31 on the control unit 20 to 7 cause thehydraulic motor 66 to be rotated by hydraulic duction unit 65 and thusturn gear 75 which through the sprocket chain 76 causes the bracket 62,plate-38, and frame 34 to rotate about the vertical axis of cylinder 40.The frame 34 and associated parts can be rotated in either a clockwiseor counterclockwise direction dependent upon the direction in which thehydraulic motor 66 is rotated by fluid delivered thereto by the conduits67 from control unit 20.

When the jaw members 36 of the clam bucket have been properly positionedfor engaging the trash or debris the operator can through the controlunit 20 deliver fluid to the cylinder 40 through conduit 54 while at thesame time opening conduit 53 to the source of fluid supply theretocausing the piston 46 and rod 47 to be raised or elevated within thecylinder, thus moving the jaw members 36 towards one another to 'aclosed position. The lower coacting edges of the jaw members 36 arepreferably serrated or formed with teeth 77 to facilitate the picking upof the trash or debris and collecting the same within the clam bucket.After the jaw members 36 have been closed,

through the elevating of the piston 46 within the cylinder 40, the boom25 is elevated and rotated so as to place the clam bucket over theopening 12 after which the piston 46 can be moved downwardly in thecylinder 40 to open the jaw members of the clam bucket.

In the rotation of the frame 34 by means of the hydraulic motor 66, theplate 38 is adapted to have a free rotative movement about the cylinder40 between the disc members 41, thus, the gear 42, cylinder 40 and discmembers 41 during the rotation of the frame 34, which movement isentirely independent of the movement required to open and close the jawmembers 36 and also to raise and lower the clam bucket by means of theboom 25 remain in a stationary or non-rotative position. The retativemovement imparted to the frame 34 by means of the motor 66 insures theproper positioning of the clam bucket with respect to the material to becollected so that the clam bucket is capable of operating at any angleor position within its circle of rotation.

There is shown in FIG. 6 a modification of the clam bucket in that forkmembers 80 have been pivotally connected to flange 35 of the frame 34instead of the jaw members 36. The fork members 80 are adapted to beusedin lieu of the jaw members when large bulky items are to becollected and deposited in the trailer 11. The form members 80 areoperated in the same identical manner as the jaw members 36 and theframe and associated parts are the same as those to which the jawmembers 36 are secured.

Although, the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it isto be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to berestricted or confining and that various re-arrangements of parts andmodifications of details may be resorted to without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. A grapple device comprising a frame member having a plurality ofdepending jaw members pivotally connected thereto, a plate membersecured to said frame member in spaced parallel relation therewith, saidplate member having an opening therein, a cylinder extending throughsaid opening, one end of said cylinder being connected to a carryingelement, a piston sli-dably mounted in said cylinder, a rod connected tosaid piston and extending through one end of said cylinder, meansconnecting said rod to said jaw members, power means for actuating saidpiston and jaw members, a member secured to said cylinder adjacent saidplate, a power device mounted on said frame and operatively connected tosaid member for rotating said frame and power device about thelongitudinal axis of said cylinder.

2. A grapple device as defined in claim 1, wherein said power devicecomprises a pressure fluid motor having a rotatable shaft connectedthereto, and means connecting said shaft to said member.

3. A grapple device as defined in claim 1, wherein said power deviceincludes a gear and a sprocket chain connected thereto with saidsprocket chain engaging said member.

4. A grapple device as defined in claim 1, wherein said power device ismounted on a bracket that is secured to said frame member.

5. A grapple device comprising a horizontally extending frame memberhaving a pair of depending jaw members pivotally connected thereto, aplate member secured to and carried by said frame member in spacedparallel relation therewith, said plate member having an openingtherein, a cylinder extending through said opening, a pair of annulardiscs secured to said cylinder on opposite sides of said plate forpositioning said cylinder in a plane normal to the plane of said plate,a bracket secured to the upper'end of said cylinder, said bracket beingconnected to a carrying element, a reciprocating piston mounted in saidcylinder, a rod connected to said piston and extending through the lowerend of said cylinder, a pair of link members having an end pivotallyconnected to said rod, said links having the other end connected to saidjaw members, power means for actuating said piston and link members tomove said jaw members, a gear member secured to said cylinder adjacentone of said discs, a bracket secured to said frame member in spacedparallel relation to said cylinder, a pressure fluid motor mounted onsaid bracket, a drive shaft operatively connected to said motor, aplurality of spaced gearing supports mounted on said bracket andengageable with said shaft, a gear secured to said shaft intermediatesaid bearing supports, a sprocket chain entrained about said gear andgear member for rotatably moving said bracket, frame and plate memberabout the axis of said cylinder upon the actuation of said fluid motor.

6. A grapple device comprising a horizontally eXtending frame memberhaving a pair of depending jaw members pivotally connected thereto, aplate member, a plu rality of braces connected to said plate member andframe member for supporting said plate member in spaced parallelrelation to said frame member, said plate member having an openingtherein, a cylinder extending through said opening, a pair of annulardiscs secured to said cylinder on opposite sides of said plate forpositioningsaid cylinder in a plane normal to the plane of said plate, abracket secured to the upper end portion of said cylinder, said bracketbeing connected to a carrying element, a guide member secured to saidframe member and said braces subjacent said plate member with thevertical axis of said guide member being concentric with the axis ofsaid cylinder, said guide member having diametrically dis posed slotstherein, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, a rod connected tosaid piston and projecting through the lower end of said cylinder intosaid guide member, a pair of link members having an end pivotallyconnected to said rod, said link members extending through the slots insaid guide member with the other end of the link members being pivotallyconnected to said jaw members, and power means for actuating said pistonand link members to open and close said jaw members.

7. A grapple device comprising a horizontally extending frame memberhaving a pair of depending jaw members pivotally connected thereto, aplate member, a plurality of braces connected to said plate member andframe member for supporting said plate member in spaced parallelrelation to said frame member, said plate member having an openingtherein, a cylinder extending through said opening, a pair of annulardiscs secured to said cylinder on opposite sides of said plate forpositioning said cylinder in a plane normal to the plane of said plate,a bracket secured to the upper end portion of said cylinder, saidbracket being connected to a carrying element, a guide member secured tosaid frame member and said braces subjacent said plate member with thevertical axis of said guide member being concentric with the axis ofsaid cylinder, said guide member having diametrically disposed slotstherein. a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, a rod connected tosaid piston and projecting through the lower end of said cylinder intosaid guide member, a pair of link members having an end pivotallyconnected to said rod, said link members extending through the slots insaid guide member with the other end of the link members being pivotallyconnected to said jaw members, power means for actuating said piston andlink members to move said jaw members, a gear member secured to saidcylinder adjacent one of said discs, a bracket secured to said framemember in spaced parallel relation to said cylinder, a pressure fluidmotor mounted on said bracket, a drive shaft operatively connected tosaid motor, a plurality of spaced bearing supports mounted on saidbracket and engageable with said shaft, a gear secured to said shaftintermediate said bearing supports, a sprocket chain entrained aboutsaid gear and gear member for rotatably moving said bracket, frame andplate member about the axis of said cylinder upon the actuation of saidfluid motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,004,723 Ballard Oct. 3, 1911 2,674,385 Stauth et a1. Apr. 6, 19542,676,837 Wagner et a1 Apr. 27, 1954 2,765,939 Hellerud Oct. 9, 19562,770,379 Przybylski Nov. 13, 1956 2,802,585 Morin Aug. 13, 19572,314,396 Neale Nov. 26, 1957 2,840,254 Bevan June 24, 1958 2,903,294Shook Sept. 8, 1959

1. A GRAPPLE DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OFDEPENDING JAW MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO, A PLATE MEMBERSECURED TO SAID FRAME MEMBER IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION THEREWITH, SAIDPLATE MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A CYLINDER EXTENDING THROUGHSAID OPENING, ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER BEING CONNECTED TO A CARRYINGELEMENT, A PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CYLINDER, A ROD CONNECTED TOSAID PISTON AND EXTENDING THROUGH ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER, MEANSCONNECTING SAID ROD TO SAID JAW MEMBERS, POWER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAIDPISTON AND JAW MEMBERS, A MEMBER SECURED TO SAID CYLINDER ADJACENT SAIDPLATE, A POWER DEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TOSAID MEMBER FOR ROTATING SAID FRAME AND POWER DEVICE ABOUT THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER.